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2, 1929- w. v. BERGEN ET Lu. Re. 17,354

HIGHWAY smmn Original Filed June 27. 1981 Reissued July 2,1929.

UNITED STATES,-

,PATENT OFF- ics.

WILLIAM v. anana, or mrrsnonmann Amazon 0. snow, or roarmnonmon,

' ASSIGIN'OBS TO NI'I'ERDAY SIGNALCQ, A GORIPORA'JJION OF OREGON; V

HIGHWAY- SIGNAL,

Original No. 1,467,892, dated September 11, 1923, Serial No. 480,593, filed June, 1921.

reissue filed June 4, 1926; Serial No. 113,898.

Our invention relates to signals, and has reference more particularly to signals adapted .to be permanently arranged along highways for indicating danger or need for cantion in View of certain circumstances, and to gi've'information an directions as to travel.

An object of the present invention is to provide a device of the character specified, adapted to be permanently arranged along highways for indicating danger or need for cau'- tion, wherein a visual signal vis provided capable of being seen either in daylight or at night, and having'means for illuminating the I same through the reflection of projected rays of the headlight of an approaching car, to

' render the same visible at night.

Another object is to provide a device of the character specified adapted to be used ass. 7

railroad caution signal. 1

f Another object of our invention is to provide'a device of the character specific in which the signaling elements are effectually enclosed by a shell'so as to prevent intrusion from without the shell into the interior thereofof any substance, and particularly of'substantiall all moisture whose presence therein woul tive.

. invention consistsin certain novel features of constructlon, arrangement and comblnation of parts as will be hereinafter fully described pointed out in the-claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical section, partly in elev'ation, of the device. a

Figure 2 is afront elevation'as in use, and

' Figure 3shows an adaptation of the invention to stand signals.

In the present embodiment of the invention a casing is provided which includes a back plate A to which a shell B is to be secured.

The shell B is preferably of substantially truncated cone-shape and has spun upon the slanting wall portion a bead C which defines a slanting groove D in which the bevelled "front edge T of a mirror E of a s ecial type is seated, the mirror edge being sea led during the spinning of the shell. The concave face of the mirror follows a true circle, and the receive screws or in efiect, render the device -inopera-, and the shell that'holds the lens and With these andoth'e'r'objects in view, our

Application for rear face of E which is shown convex preferably abuts closely against the back plate A when it has been put in place.

Thefront and, in the preferred form illustrated, the smaller end of the shell has "s un upon it-a bead 6 which defines a roove to form a seat for the rear edge 8' 6 an optical semaphore lens 8; the lens is sealed within the bead 6 at the time the, shell is spun. By

sealing the mirror and the lens at thetime the shell is spun the necessity for rings or plates flange B is spun. around the periphery of back plate.

p The registering openings a and b are to olts F by which the signal casing asja whole is to be secured to a sign plate G whichis a, disc preferably made of porcelain on a high grade of iron. 7

By sealing the mirror and lens in the spinning at the time the shell is spun, the assembly is absolutely impervious to the weather,

mirror is practically airtight.

By being thus sealed the danger-offog, dust or rain on the mirror, or. back. of lens,

avoided.

The dead air space adds materially te ths effectiveness of the signa by keeping thein side thereof thorough The signal case may :night signal as well as 'theday warningal, ready in use. The'disc G may suitabl secured to a post H. g

In Figure 3 we have shown how thesig nals j' i may be utilized in connection with a switch be attachedtoany f rm of sign, but when ut out as a'complete signal below-the sign, or at the center of the disc. If :a special sign stand, the signals being designated by I and 1 1 erabl'y aluminum, and the sign orback disc,

as before stated, is preferably made of porcelain on iron.

' While this makes avery strong construc tion, if a lens becomes broken it is better to replace by a complete signal assembly, as it' is much cheaper to manufacture even though it is necessary to replace the signal in this manner- The rays of light projected from the headlight of an approaching automobile pass through the lens into the casing and are I''t' flected forwardly onto the back of the lens and then pass through the same giving a very strong signal light.

The manner in which the aluminum case or shell is spun insures an exact focus of the v lens on the mirror, and the spinning being done over a chuck insures all signals being uniform.

' By this method of manufacture increased quality production is secured at decreased cost. v

This signal as herein setforth requires little or no attention after being once installed, and becomes a permanent and substantial highway safeguard.

.The device when once installed requires little or no attention, andis generally placed about three hundred feet in advance of the danger point, so as to give ample warning to the motorist.

The present invention is based upon the principles of light concentration and reflection.

We claim:

1. A'signal of the character specified, comprising a forwardly converging imperforate "truncated cone-shaped shell and a flat imperforate back covering therefor, said shell aving a bead spun upon its slanting wall Y portion, sa1d bead defining a slanting groove within the shell,.,a concave'mirror having a beveled: front end fitted in said groove, the' back of tlremi-rror abutting theiflat back covering, a colored opticalsemaphore lens spun within the front end of the shell, said mirror located substantially at the exact focus of the lens, to receive light rays projectedtlii ough the lens from an exterior light source and reflect them upon the back face of the lens and forwardly through the same.

a 2. A signal of the character specified comprising a rigid supporting base plate carry-' ing indicia thereon, a forwardly converging imperforate truncated cone-shaped shell having an annular flange at its rear end, said flange providedwith a series of openings to receive bolts, aflat back plate covering the rear end of said shell and having openings registering with the openings in said flange, said back plate secured to the shell by the flange spun over its periphery, bolts in said registering openings rigidly securing the shell and back plate to the supporting-base,

an optical semaphore lens spun within the front end of the shell, a, concave mirror spun withinv the converging portion of the shell andpositioned substantially at the exact focus of the lens, the back of the mirror abutting the flat back plate and braced thereby.

3. A signal of the character specified, comprising a rigid supporting plate, a forwardly converging imperforate truncated coneshaped shell projecting from said plate, a colored lens held in the front end of the shell,

and a concave reflector of greater diameter than said lens positioned within the converging portion'of said shell to the rear of said lens 'and substantially at the exact focus thereof, said reflector being in abutting relation with said supporting plate.

4. A signal of the character specified comprising a truncated cone-shaped and forwardly converging .spunshell, an optical semaphore lens-spun within the front end of the shell, a mirror spun within the converging portion of the shell and substantially at the exact focus of the lens, aflat back plate abutting the back of the mirror at its central portion, an annular flange projecting from' the rear edge of the shell and spun over the periphery of the said back plate, said flange means whereby the complete also providing) I assembly can e removably secured to a base or support.

5; A signal of the character described, comprising an air-tight shell, a head forming a groove in the shell, intermediate its front and rear, a mirror in the shell carried at its periphery in said groove, a colored lens peripherallycarried by a second groove in said shell at the front of the same and in advance of the mirror, the mirror being arranged sub- I stantially at the focus of the lens whereby it will receive light rays projected through the lens from a source of light exterior to the shell and reflect them back through the lens comprising an air-tight shell, a bead forming -a groove in the shell, intermediate its front and rear, a mirror in the shell carried atits peri hery in-said groove, a colored lens periphera y carried by a second groove in said shell at the front of the same and in advance of the mirror, the mirror being of great-er diameter than the lens and being arranged substantially at the focus of the lens whereby'it will receive light rays pro'ected through the lens from a source of lig t exterior to the shell and reflect them back through the lens and forwardly therefrom into space, said shell making an air-tight engagement with the mirror and lens periph- 5 eries whereby the shell is substantially airtight between the lens and mirror, and a back plate arranged behind said mirror, said shell having its edge inturned to form a groove receiving the periphery of said back plate,-

the lens, mirror, and back plate being inde- 10 pendently held in separate grooves in said shell.

In testimony whereofi We have'hereunto set 

